Luton Town manager Rob Edwards has confirmed that Tom Lockyear, the captain of the team, is still hospitalized following his collapse on the pitch during Saturday's Championship play-off final triumph against Coventry City at Wembley. Lockyear, 28, was taken to the hospital after falling to the ground without any player around him just 12 minutes into the game. Despite the incident, Luton emerged victorious on penalties and secured their promotion to the Premier League.
"He's OK. He is still in hospital at the moment. He is having lots of tests and checks. He is with the best people," Edwards told BBC 5 Live.
"We have all been in touch with him and speaking to him every day. As you can imagine the lads, the staff, doctors and physios. When he was texting me last night he was expecting to come out today, not sure if that is definitely the case right now but that is what he was saying to me so we will see."
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In a jubilant celebration, thousands of people flooded the streets of Bedfordshire town as the players and staff of Luton Town embarked on an open-top bus parade. The occasion marked Luton's triumphant return to the top flight of English football, a feat they had not achieved since 1992. Notably, Luton Town is the first club to ascend to the Premier League after previously dropping out of the Football League altogether.
Although their Kenilworth Road stadium boasts a modest capacity of approximately 10,000, making it the smallest ground in the Premier League, Luton Town has committed to investing around £10 million in improvements before the commencement of the upcoming season. These enhancements aim to ensure their facilities meet the standards of the top-flight league.
"I've got some diggers ready to go into Kenilworth Road to start doing some work there tonight. It is going to start pretty soon," chief executive Adam Sweet said at the weekend.
Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, a midfielder who has been an integral part of the club since its journey from the National League, expressed anticipation and excitement about welcoming renowned and prestigious teams to their stadium. Despite being a smaller venue in comparison, Mpanzu and his teammates eagerly await the challenges and opportunities of facing top-tier opponents.
"It's been one hell of a journey… hopefully enjoy the summer and we'll see the likes of Arsenal, Man City and Chelsea at Kenilworth Road," he said on Monday.
